Plaque and calculus can buildup on dentures if a patient has poor denture hygiene. This can be harmful to the oral tissues and can lead to oral Candida and other oral pathologies. Brushing the dentures removes plaque and food debris. Regular toothpaste is too abrasive for dentures so be sure to use a denture toothpaste. You should remove the dentures after eating and brush them with a denture brush and denture toothpaste over a sink filled with water or over a towel to protect the dentures from breaking if they should fall.

In addition to brushing them, dentures should be soaked daily to keep them clean. Soaking the dentures allows the denture cleaner to penetrate the denture and kill bacteria. To keep your dentures fresh-looking and odor-free be sure to brush and soak your dentures daily.

It’s a good idea to leave the dentures out of the mouth at night to rest the oral tissues and allow blood flow to return to normal. When dentures are out of the mouth, they should be soaked in a soaking solution or water to prevent them from drying out.

Denture wearers should visit the dentist for regular checkups at least once a year. Tissues under the dentures can change and the dentures can become ill-fitting and further damage the tissues.

A denture is not permanent. It will wear over time and will loosen as the ridge undergoes changes. Dentures should be replaced every 7 to 10 years. A reline might also be needed every 2 -3 years depending on the amount of ridge resorption.

Call our East Setauket dental office and we will be happy to evaluate your existing dentures for a reline or possible replacement.

Tags: dentist, dentures, teeth

This entry was posted on Thursday, October 22nd, 2009 at 12:12 am and is filed under Dentures, Your Dental Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.